Photoinduced Metal-Free α‑C(sp3)–H Carbamoylation of Saturated Aza-Heterocycles via Rationally Designed Organic Photocatalyst

Herein, we report a general strategy for the rational design of an efficient organic photocatalyst, and we describe a robust method for the direct C­(sp3)–H carbamoylation of saturated aza-heterocycles under mild conditions by using a naphthalimide (NI)-based organic photocatalyst. This protocol provides a concise and practical approach for the rapid installation of a valuable amide bond onto pharmaceutically useful saturated aza-heterocycles to access a wide range of cyclic α-amino amides. A series of mechanism investigations have demonstrated this transformation undergoes a visible-light photocatalytic, oxidative Ugi reaction process.